Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This shows in voting patterns. In Moravia, left-leaning parties
tend to do better than the pro-business candidates who dominate
the electorates in Prague and Pilsen (a city in western Bohemia).
Traditions are also more prized in Moravia: Diverse regional dia-
lects and folk customs have flourished here but have long since
disappeared in Bohemia.
Anything labeled “Haná” is from this particular part of
Moravia—you'll notice plenty of Haná pride among locals.
Olomouc is a fine place to just kick back for a day or two in a beau-
tiful Baroque town with its Haná-centric gaze fixed on the future.
Planning Your Time
Olomouc is a delightful mix of Baroque space and 21st-century life.
Don't approach the city as a sightseer; Olomouc is to be experienced
and enjoyed. The only must-see “sights”—the two squares and the
plague column—can be covered in an hour. But you can happily
spend additional time in the city's restaurants, bars, and clubs.
If you're passing through, hop off the train for a three-hour
lunch stop on the main square. Better yet, stay the night to relax
and sample the rich nightlife. I enjoy the city enough to visit it as
a long day trip from Prague. On a more leisurely visit, consider the
worthwhile day trips to Kroměříž (with a sumptuous château—see
page 245) and the Wallachia region (see next chapter).
ORIENTATION
Olomouc's historic core is small, compact, and just five tram stops
from the train station (see “Arrival in Olomouc,” next page). The
core has two parts: the original settlement around the former royal
palace and cathedral, and the royal town (west of the cathedral). The
royal town is concentrated around two connected squares: Upper
Square (Horní Náměstí), with the Town Hall and plague column;
and Lower Square (Dolní Náměstí), with many restaurants.
Part of Olomouc's charm is that it's a Baroque town on a
medieval street plan. Everything of sightseeing interest is con-
tained within its historic core, defined by the circular greenbelt
that follows the town's old wall (much like the famous Planty in
Kraków).
Tourist Information
Olomouc's main TI, in the Town Hall on the Upper Square, has
plenty of well-written f liers describing the town's main sights
(daily 9:00-19:00, tel. 585-513-385, www.olomouc-tourism.cz;
there's also a TI at the train station—see next page). They sell
tickets to concerts and can set you up with a local guide (500 Kč/
hr, reserve ahead).
